The Punchestown Gold Cup
The Punchestown Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase. It is open to horses aged five years or older. Its distance is about 3 miles 1 furlong over seventeen fences.
Up until 1999 the race was for novice chasers only.
It also used to be known as the Heineken Gold Cup in recent times, until a change in sponsorship.
Recent Sponsors include: Diageo 2005-2011; Tote Ireland 2011-2014; Bibby Financial Services 2015-2016
The Punchestown Gold Cup tends to include horses which have run in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
The last horse to win both races in the same year was War of Attrition in 2006.
Some Past Winners
1963 – Arkle (won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1964, 1965 & 1966)
1967 – White Abbess
1972 – Ebony Lad
1977 – Artistic Prince
1982 – Single-U-Jay
1987 – Darkorjon
1994 – Merry Gale
1997 – Noyan
1998 – Mahler
Year - Horse - Jockey; Trainer
1999 Imperial Call - Ruby Walsh; Raymond Hurley
2000 Commanche Court - Ruby Walsh; Ted Walsh
2001 Moscow Express - Barry Geraghty; Frances Crowley
2002 Florida Pearl - Barry Geraghty; Willie Mullins
2003 First Gold - Thierry Doumen; François Doumen
2004 Beef or Salmon - Timmy Murphy; Michael Hourigan
2005 Kicking King - Barry Geraghty; Tom Taaffe
2006 War Of Attrition - Conor O'Dwyer; Mouse Morris
2007 Neptune Collonges - Ruby Walsh; Paul Nicholls
2008 Neptune Collonges - Ruby Walsh; Paul Nicholls
2009 Notre Pere - Andrew Lynch; Jim Dreaper
2010 Planet of Sound - Richard Johnson; Philip Hobbs
2011 Follow the Plan - Tom Doyle; Oliver McKiernan
2012 China Rock - Barry Geraghty; Mouse Morris
2013 Sir Des Champs - Davy Russell; Willie Mullins
2014 Boston Bob - Ruby Walsh; Willie Mullins
2015 Don Cossack - Paul Carberry; Gordon Elliott
2016 Carlingford Lough - B Geraghty; J Kiely
For more information visit the Punchestown Festival website - www.punchestown.com
